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Few questions get people worked up as much as the question of religion does. Does it, in fact, divide people? The funny thing is, religion itself is meant to unite people: it should actually bring people with common values and beliefs together. It seems to me that the thing that divides us where religion is concerned is the very people it should serve to unite. The people that worship in or fall victim to said sect become so irrational at the idea that another may differ in opinion that violence has been known to ensue.

I, in fact, am not a particularly religious person. You may wonder why I have any voice at all in this debate. I live in the state of Utah and am not a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, which is by far the prominent religion here. To say that I'm outnumbered would be a vast understatement. Had you posed the question of religion as a factor in dividing people a decade ago when I first moved to Utah, I would've answered with a very fervent yes.

What's amazing about living in an area so saturated in a single religious ideology is that, while I started out with what I thought was a hatred for them, I ended up understanding what they all believe and appreciating the strength of those beliefs. They (the LDS people or mormons) aren't trying to separate themselves from people like me, even though I do have strongly opposing beliefs to some of their core values, they are simply expressing their rights as guaranteed by our constitution.

The funny thing about religion is that most of them run in the same vein. It's all about goodness and kindness, not division and segregation. We made it the latter over the past many centuries. Each individual religion, in my opinion, has its own beauty and purity.

It's strange that someone simply exercising their religious freedom can prompt such angry debates. Get it together people, we are supposed to be able to believe what we happen to believe and live how we want to live. Why, then, do people get up in arms when another disagrees with them? Seems to me a difference in opinion is the best way to educate oneself.

That's why I consider myself so fortunate to have experienced life in Utah over the past decade. I've discovered that while I do have fundamental differences in my belief system to the LDS people, I also have a great many similarities to their religion. If you allow yourself to be open to what another person believes it can change your perspective forever. It's allowed me to become less ignorant to those who I may not agree with, but can whole-heartedly respect.

Learn more about this author, Gwendolyn Gordon.
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